


It's never too late to love

by sserpente



Category: Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, NSFW, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut, tom hiddleston - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-03-23 13:38:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13788870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sserpente/pseuds/sserpente
Summary: Back when you were only a teenager, your entire life changed in but a single heartbeat—as a victim of a terrible plane crash caused by a raging thunderstorm, you seek refuge in a cave inhabited by a pack of wolves that decides to accept you as one of them. For seven years, you adapt to their habits, their behaviour and their communication, giving up entirely on being rescued until one day, a man shows up in your cave. He introduces himself as James Conrad, promises to bring you home. Who is this handsome stranger? Can you trust him? And will you learn to understand these flustering feelings you have for him when you look into his beautiful blue eyes?





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> I re-watched “Kong: Skull Island” yesterday for a little inspiration for the requests I got for him and then… this happened. RC has a specific age in this, it had to made sense for the story. There will be three or four parts (and smut at some point), so stay tuned!

“I don’t have much time.” He snapped, entering the room with a stern expression plastered on his face. When he sat down, the elder woman in front of him sighed, briefly closing her eyes.

“And yet I want to thank you for taking it to hear me out. You are my last chance. They say you are the best.”

“What do you want, ma’am?” Captain James Conrad leaned back, crossing his arms before his chest. He already knew what she wanted, of course. She wanted him to find someone for her—a loved one gone lost.

“It’s my daughter.” She whispered, her voice barely audible. Only those three words in, her eyes were watering uncontrollably. “She went missing. Seven years ago. There was a plane crash. A horrible plane crash high up in the mountains. The police gave up on her. The military gave up on her… they say she is dead. But I know she’s not. She’s alive. She’s still _out there._ ”

Conrad looked up.

“What makes you think that?”

He knew how this woman felt, how desperate she clung onto hope. He’d seen the devastated look in her eyes so often he hardly held any compassion—only the ice cold knowledge of what was the right thing to do.

“I just know,” the woman uttered, the hot tears now freely streaming down her face like waterfalls. “Will you help me? I will pay you. I will pay you your weight in gold if that is what you want. Just please _find my daughter._ ”

For a full thirty seconds, silence filled the room. Just like moist fog, it crept towards them like the hands of ghosts and dead spirits, ready to wrap around their necks to strangle them.

The woman sobbed, relieved, when he finally nodded, seeking out her hopeful eyes once more.

“I cannot promise to bring her back to you safe and sound. I can only promise to do anything in my power to find her. Dead or alive.” He explained calmly, his British accent underlining the severity of his words.

* * *

You were fourteen years old when you died. Or at least, that’s what you thought had happened when the plane went hurtling towards the mountains. Countless rocks, dirt and soil all piled up in a hard and massive creation of nature. There was no way you could have survived this—and you didn’t. Not as a human—not really.

You remembered waking up on the ground, with stones and branches scratching open your back and drawing blood and you remembered crawling towards the only place of safety you could take as such in your hopeless situation. It was a cave—dark and dangerous, it lured you into its gaping mouth to protect you from the oncoming storm, the thunder and the lightning which had shot the plane from the sky like an arrow would a careless bird enjoying its freedom in the air.

You thought you were going to die in this cave, thought you were going to starve to death or freeze at night when your unconscious had finally calmed down enough to grant your body a little peace and rest. You didn’t think about how your boyfriend would be waiting for you at the other end of the country only to find out on the news that the plane you had been on had crashed. You didn’t even think about your mother crying until all was left of her were dry sobs shaking her entire body.

Humanity was stupid. They abandoned their natural instincts that kept them alive in situations like this because they decided to rely on technology and cosiness. None of them remembered how to tell which berries to pick from the bush and none of them recalled how to stay safe out in the open when it was dark, unprotected and without any weapons to defend themselves.

You believed you were going to be shredded to pieces when the wolves sneaked towards you, their glowing eyes not missing a single movement of your body. You could hear them sniffling and you could see them circling you like prey. They smelled the blood, you knew, and your only instinct in this very moment was it to close your eyes and pray for a quick death, pray for the pain to be over quick when they drove their sharp fangs deep into your flesh.

But what happened instead still amazed you up to this day. The wolves… accepted your presence in their cave. When you failed to harm or threaten them, they failed to react the same way in return. They saw no danger in you being with them—what they saw instead was a frightened being in need of help. And so they licked your wounds clean. They shared their prey with you as long as you fought for your bits just like they did and they kept you warm at night, allowing you to sleep in between their fury bodies and cuddling with their offspring.

You learnt their language, abandoning your own. It was useless now—you had no one to talk to verbally, used your body and your eyes to communicate with the pack who became your family instead.

High up in the mountains, it was hard to tell how many winters you experienced. You had no idea how old you would be now and you had long given up the hope that someone would find you and bring you back to civilisation—to the life you lost due to a simple thunderstorm. Your mother, your boyfriend… _they must all believe you are dead_. That was all until one day, there appeared a young man at the entrance of your cave, covering the sun with his muscly body.

* * *

He was carrying a gun, ready to shoot and to take lives, his gaze calculated but also insecure of what to expect. His eyes were blue… like the gushing water of the river you washed yourself in every day. Perhaps a civilised woman would call this man attractive and handsome—with his bare arms and well-defined muscles, his sharp jawline and cheekbones and the thin lips.

Curiously, you tilted my head. The wolves sensed it too. He was not friendly. He was here to _take_ from you, using violence if he had to. Your alpha growled, starting the first and last attempt to scare him away—a faint warning that you would not treat him kindly if he invaded your space and yet, the stranger stepped even closer.

His blue eyes fell on your kneeling form on the ground and all of a sudden, you watched them widen in shock. He was surprised. Of course—a human among a pack of wolves, it might seem strange to society. It was so easy for them to judge. The wolves had never judged.

“(Y/N)?” This sounded familiar, his smooth and a little throaty voice making your heart beat faster. This was the first time you heard someone _speak_ in years and what he had said sounded… so… familiar…

“(Y/N)?” He repeated softly. You didn’t trust him; the man still didn’t lower his gun. Too great was the fear of your family ripping him apart if he took another step forward. Then it hit you. _Your name._ He had said _your name._

“I am not here to hurt you. I have been looking for you. Your mother sent me. Do you remember your mother?”

Tilting your head, you stared at him as if he was about to tell you an exciting story. Of course you remembered your mother. You remembered a woman who had raised you, a woman you no longer knew because you had become your own woman without her.

“I am here to take you home, (Y/N). Would you like to go home?” He was cautious, gentle, his voice heavy with a British accent. His blue eyes were fixed on you, yet he did not miss a single movement of the wolves.

Home? It sounded like a memory. Like a dream. _This_ was your home, this cave. Where would you go? Did your previous life still exist? Would you be able to go back to it, leaving the wolves that had saved your life behind?

_Yes,_ you thought. You did want to go home. Opening your mouth, you finally rose from your kneeling position, wanting desperately to tell him… but you couldn’t. You purred and growled, you barked… but your tongue was unable to form the words you had once spoken so easily.

The wolves retreated—you believed the stranger. It was enough reason for them to put up with him and then, finally, the man lowered his gun.

“Can you speak to me?”

_Yes._ _No._ _I can… just not the way you do._ So you didn’t react.

“My name is James Conrad. (Y/N), is it okay if I come closer to you?” Tilting your head once more, you blinked at him, curious as to whether he really would approach you—and he did. With his hand stretched out to reach for you, he sneaked towards you as if to expect an attack. When you didn’t move, he smiled. He smiled! It was the only gesture you could possibly reciprocate.

The corners of your mouth curled upwards, surprising him. For just a split second, his lips parted in awe, then, he held out his hand for you to take, not forcing you to join him on this journey back to civilisation but giving you a choice.

_Holding hands…_ wasn’t it a sign of affection between humans? A sign of trust? You didn’t remember how to hold hands. Showing affection among wolves was… different from what humans did. Wolves snuggled up to each other, they tenderly bit each other and they let down their guards by sleeping next to you.

Hesitatingly, you took his hand in yours, mustering your intertwined fingers as if they were to tell you if this was right. It _felt_ right, oddly.

It felt like you could trust this stranger. _No_ , James. You could trust James. You had learnt how to read whether another being was trustworthy or not and when you looked into his blue eyes that seemed to jinx you and, all of a sudden, awakened these strange feelings in your stomach, you knew you could trust him.

But what about the wolves? What about your family? You owed these animals so much… and they expected nothing in return. Instead, when you glanced back, exchanging mute goodbyes, they blinked— _it’s okay. Farewell. We love you._

You blinked too. _I love you too._

“The way down will be a little bumpy—but I can carry you, if you like.”

He didn’t have to. Amazed, you watched his muscles dance with every movement he made when he climbed down the mountain, stealing occasional glimpses in your direction. You had learnt how to crawl up and ascend mountains and hills quickly to keep up with the wolves, using your long nails which also helped you defending yourself, as hooks.

“There is a car waiting for us just at the edge of the forest. It will take us straight to your mother.”

A car. You had been dreaming of your own driving license before the plane crash, hoping that one day, your mother would let you drive hers.

“Holy shit… you actually found her? Is that her?” A young man’s voice shrieked.

“I think so,” James replied when you both spotted him peeking out of the car window.

His eyes widened. “Well, didn’t she tell you?”

“She doesn’t speak, Slivko.”

“Then how do you know it’s her?” James gently wrapped his arms around your waist and then lifted you into the huge all-terrain vehicle. He followed you in right after, making sure to fasten your seatbelt for you. You didn’t resist.

“Her eyes lit up when I spoke her name, she recognised it. And I believe she can understand us very well. Am I right, (Y/N)?”

Blinking again, you locked eyes with him. _Yes_.

“She’s pretty hot for a girl who lived in a cave for seven years.” Slivko tossed in, shrugging as he started the engine.

James tensed—you could feel it. “Shut up and drive.”

_Drive._ Away from the mountains. Back into the world. Nervously, you reached for his hand again, relieved when he allowed you to hold it.

 


	2. Part II

James let go of your hand when the doctors approached you. You recognised them by their white coats—two females, one male and a man who introduced himself as Dr Drake, a psychologist who kept asking you questions, hoping he might elicit a sound from you when all there was flooding your body was panic.

This building, sterile, clean, not quite a hospital, with nosey people staring at you when you entered… it was all but intimidating. Did you look pitiful? Your hair was a mess—you hadn’t brushed it in years and your clothes… or much rather, what was left of them, revealed more than they covered. Back with the wolves, you had never bothered how you looked but now, it all came back like a wave crushing down on you.

“Alright, Miss (Y/L/N). There is nothing to be afraid of.” _Yes. There is. I don’t trust you. Where is James?_

He had promised to bring you to your mother. Where was she? Was she here? Had they sent her away just like they had James upon your arrival?

“We will be running a few tests and check on your health, take a little blood, examine your bones and teeth… is that okay? But first, you join Kate and Gina. Kate is a nurse here and Gina is a cosmetician, they will help you wash and… make yourself decent again.”

You growled when they cut your nails, barked at them when they shaved your legs and armpits and whimpered when they took care of the bird-nest on your head. Was smooth skin really important right now?!

 _Stop it,_ you attempted to scream. _Stop touching me!_ Yet all you could muster were animalistic sounds.

For what felt like hours, they continued their merciless torture—they even plugged your eyebrows. They were about to grab a mirror after their work was done and let you look at yourself, new clothes included, when Dr Drake hissed and turned it away from you.

“I don’t believe it’s a good idea for her to see her reflexion just yet.”

 _I know what I look like. Water makes a good mirror too_ , you thought, gnashing your teeth as you did.

The nurses nodded.

“If you say so,”

They led you back to the area in which the other doctors were already waiting for your examination—and, much to your relief, James Conrad.

Excited, you stepped forward, surprising both him and the doctors around you. There was a woman with him—an elder woman sharing a few of your facial features.

Her lips parted upon laying her eyes on you, the lower one quivering uncontrollably.

“(Y/N)…” She muttered, bringing up her palm to cover her mouth. She was familiar. She sounded familiar too and you knew instantly that this was your mother.

The woman lifted her arms, ready to pull you in a light hug but she hesitated. As soon as recognition and the grave consequences of her reaction hit you, you retreated.

She was disappointed. James had told you she had sent him to save you. But now that you were here, she was not happy either. You could read it in her eyes—and it was enough for you not to trust her. Not anymore.

James had not once looked at you like this. He’d been surprised, yes, but he had also accepted instantly what he was met with: a young woman with a wolf’s heart.

“Why is she not speaking to me?” Your mother whined, desperation growing heavy in her voice. Dr Drake took a deep breath. But he didn’t reply.

The girl she was expecting to see was gone. You could sense it—the woman you had become was not what she had wanted. It scared her, troubled her. Would your boyfriend act the same? Was he here? You still remembered his face, holding hands with him just like you had with James in the car. Had he moved on? He must have. He wouldn’t want a _wolf girl_ now anyway and you didn’t expect him to. You’d much rather a man treated you as kindly as James had.

You loved his blue eyes. He was going to protect you—you knew he would. Your mother was all but forgotten when you reached for his hand, intertwining your fingers with his.

James’ brows furrowed in surprise, yet he didn’t pull away.

“We will run a few tests. We need to check if she has any diseases or carried away lasting damage.”

 _I don’t want to be your experiment. I can see it in your eyes._ Suspiciously, you gnashed your teeth. Maybe they wanted to help you—but their first priority was it to explore your body in the hopes of finding something extraordinary.

“But will she be _normal_ again?” Your mother tossed in almost hysterically.

Her words stung. _I might not speak but I can still understand you. Am I not normal? What do you want me to be? Why don’t you like me the way I am now, like James does? Does James like me?_

Glancing over to him, you saw him clenching his jaw. He was disgusted by her outburst.

“Mrs (Y/L/N)… (Y/N) has been living with a pack of wolves for seven years. _If_ she was to adapt to human life again, it would always be part of her. Experiences like that… they shape people’s minds.” Dr Drake explained rationally.

The nurses nodded, your mother all but startled. “Now, Miss (Y/L/N)… would you follow us?”

You growled in response.

_No. I will not follow you. I am not going to be your experiment._

“Miss (Y/L/N)…”

“Don’t touch her.” James’ voice was stern, severe—allowing no contradiction. Both the psychologist and your mother clenched their fists.

“Excuse me? Your work here is done, Mr Conrad.”

“She is scared!”

All eyes wandered over to you, mustering you curiously. Shame washed over your body. _A wolf doesn’t like being stared at like an object… but I’m not a wolf. Or am I?_

“(Y/N),” he murmured then, lowering his voice. “It’s alright. I know you don’t trust them. But they will help you. Would you like me to come with you?”

“Mr Conrad, it is out of the question that you—“

“Let _her_ decide.” He snapped. “Can’t you see she’s terrified? (Y/N)…” As soon as he turned to you again, his expression softened. You couldn’t help yourself—you leaned into him. _Thank you._

“Do you remember how to nod? If you want to say yes? Would you like me to join you?”

 _Nodding._ A form of communication between humans. Of course you knew what it was. You should have thought of it earlier! Slowly, you bowed your head twice.

James peered up at the doctors.

“Alright… let him come with her.” Dr Drake shrugged, nodding to emphasise his words.

“Mr Conrad.” Your mother suddenly said.

James sighed, turning around a little too slow. “Go,” he assured you. “I will be with you in a moment, I promise.”

So you nodded again, getting used to the unusual movement of your head. You believed him—and then followed the doctors into the examination room.

* * *

“She is so different…”

“Mrs (Y/L/N)… what exactly did you expect?” Conrad was remarkably calm. He did understand your mother’s confusion and the shock she dealt with—not, however, how appalled she had treated her daughter after their reunion.

“I expected her to be happy to be back! She looks like… like we brought her here to torture her!”

Her eyes were watering by the time she started her second sentence. Conrad took a deep breath.

“When I found your daughter, I gave her a choice. She came with me willingly. She _wants_ to be here. She is just confused. You would be too if you had spent years away from society.” He explained quietly.

“She took your hand. Why does she trust you? Why does she trust you and not me?!”

“I was the first person she met after seven years. Give her some time. She is still your daughter.”

“I don’t even recognise her anymore.” Your mother whispered sadly. “Can she even understand us? Really?”

“She can. I assume that she just forgot how to speak.”

The elder woman sighed as she watched Conrad join you in the examination room.

* * *

“Her BMI is critically low. Whatever she has been eating, it kept her alive but she is far from strong and healthy.” One of the female doctors spoke, glancing at her notebook occasionally as she explained to your mother what they had found out. “She has no serious diseases that could put her life at risk but until the results of the blood test arrive, it will take a few days. Until then, we would like to keep her around to keep an eye on her.”

“Some of her teeth are damaged as well.” The other doctor continued. “Nothing grave—but we have to take her to a dentist, she might suffer from pain quickly as soon as she starts consuming regular sustenance again. Apart from that, only her posture is visibly distorted. Nothing we couldn’t correct with therapy though.”

James Conrad leaned forward, listening intently to every word the doctors had to say. You were truly remarkable. As a tracker, he had developed an impressive survival instinct himself, relying on nature if in doubt—for that, however, he had trained for years. You had simply been tossed out there, without forewarning and as one of the few survivors of this terrible plane crash. You had been all alone— _no_ , not entirely alone. You had been with the wolves… he was fascinated by how you had communicated with them upon your departure.

Learning now that you would be okay and that there was nothing wrong with your body that would make life more difficult for you, he felt incredibly relieved. After all, there was something about you that intrigued him.

Maybe this was the reason for why he found himself at your doorstep; of the room they had put you in to rest. You were given a bed—soft pillows and warm blankets luring you to sleep and yet, you were all but wide awake, unwilling to bury yourself in the cosiness of the mattress.

You were used to sleeping on the floor, curled up like a wolf to ensure you did not freeze to death. It was strange knowing that the temperature in the room would not change overnight. Instead, they had even switched on the radiator for you. It felt good, lying next to it on the ground, pretending your fury family was still around you.

“(Y/N)… what are you doing?” James’ voice was playfully taunting when he opened the door and entered, a sly smile playing on his lips. “You should sleep. It was a rough day.”

You remembered to nod to say yes—now you also remembered how to say no. Shaking your head slightly, you again rested your head on your upper arm.

James was all but taken aback as he stepped further into the room. “(Y/N)… please. I know it will take you some time to get used to beds again but you know what the doctors said. Your posture needs correction. It won’t do your back any good if you keep sleeping on the ground.”

You had sensed the doctors’ enthusiasm, as they had been talking about you like an object they could experiment on. James, however, sounded genuine and sincere. He really did care about you.

Smiling once more, he offered you his hand which you took almost without any hesitation and allowed him to lead you to your bed. He encouraged you with a nod when you crawled onto the mattress and watched him tugging you in in a caring manner.

Gently, James covered your body with the blanket and gave you one last smile before turning to exit the room and let you sleep—he had just wanted to check on you… but now you did not want him to leave and when you looked into his blue eyes, once more amazed by these strange feelings dancing in your belly when you did, you realised he did not want to leave either.

You opened your mouth to protest but there were no words you were able to form with your lips and tongue. Instead, you whimpered like a young wolf, snatching his hand as you did.

 _Stay with me. Please. I don’t want to sleep alone._ Whether he was able to read your thoughts from your eyes, you did not know but when he nodded and sat down on the bed, kicking off his shoes to join you, your heart jumped.

For the first time since your rescue, you found yourself happy, grateful that James had found you. You _did_ want to come back here, come back to life, come back to society… but man was a creature of habit. If only he was with you… you could imagine attempting a human life again.

 _Thank you_ , you thought, snuggling up to the handsome man beside you and cradling his neck. Quickly, you found yourself straddling his lap, curling on top of him like a young wolf, your face and cheek nestling up to his skin over and over. _Thank you so much._

James smiled—you could feel it. “You’re welcome, (Y/N).”

He understood. He understood you although you ceased to use words. It didn’t matter—you wouldn’t even know how to phrase what it meant to you.


	3. Part III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Part III for you guys! Enjoy! ♥

The next day, both James and your mother accompanied you to the dentist, the three of you led by your psychologist. The procedure took several hours, leaving your mouth sore and numb and you swore you felt sorry for biting the dentist at first.

He ranted something about you not being allowed to eat for two hours and after returning to your room, where you were met with a young woman introducing herself as Clary, a hairdresser.

Now, you were fascinatedly playing around with one of the soft pillows on your bed. While Dr Drake suggested giving you some alone time for yourself to sort your thoughts, James had insisted on staying—much to your mother’s dismay.

You still treated her like a stranger, even if slowly, you started warming up to her again. She failed to encourage you the way James did, who kept refusing to leave your side for whatever reason but at least, she stopped glaring at you in this hurting and disappointed manner. It felt good.

It was half past two now and time for you to eat. The doctors said it would be best for you to start with soups, given you hadn’t had proper warm meals in years and it would take your stomach a while to get used to human nutrition again. You didn’t complain. Even though most of the food they brought you tasted strange compared to the berries, mushrooms and meat you had eaten throughout the last couple of years, it did not taste bad.

You definitely could get used to it again. Your only problem was your stomach seemed unable to contain more than only a few spoonsful of soup before protesting, telling you indignantly it was full.

“(Y/N), you need to eat more, you know you need to get stronger again.” James began softly. You tilted your head in silence. _I want to eat more. I just can’t._

It was remarkable you still managed to hold cutlery and eat with it—apparently, it was like swimming or riding a bike. Once you knew how to do it, you never forgot it again. But then, why did you not remember how to form words?

Dr Drake and Dr Kensington, a linguist who was to teach you how to speak again, was to remedy just that. After finishing your meal and watching a patient James encouraging every spoonful of soup you swallowed, they both entered your room without knocking first, the linguist introducing himself politely.

You liked him, your first impression of him a lot more positive than what you had felt for your own mother. Unlike her, he did not seem to judge you either, barely interested in how your brain worked and instead, determined to help you learn how to speak again.

“So, (Y/N), may I call you (Y/N)?”

You nodded approvingly. Dr Kensington smiled. Apparently, this was a huge step already.

“I would like to ask you to come to my office. You will be able to talk again in no time, (Y/N).”

James knew immediately what it was that you requested him to do when you reached for his arm and squeezed it gently.

“Of course I will join you.”

Smiling, you both entered the small office. It was sterile, impersonal, the desk neat and tidy and on the wall, a couple of signs listing the alphabet. It was odd. You recognised the letters—every single one of them. You were even able to read the words spelled out in the title.

How was this possible?

Dr Kensington explained it would be best to start pronouncing vowels again first. He quickly learned you remembered the letters and the sound of them, so when he began pointing at various letters and spoke them out loud for you, he asked you kindly to try and copy the sound.

James held your hand tightly under the desk, never ceasing to comfort you. Squeezing it a little, you opened your mouth and took a deep breath. The sooner you learned how to speak again, the sooner you would be able to talk to James.

For some reason, this was the most important aspect of these sessions. You were so grateful for him you wanted James to be the first one to hear you speak again—and for that, you would practise day and night for hours on end.

“’A’, (Y/N). Try to say ‘a’.”

His blue gaze was curious. Not expecting but fascinated. The sound left your lips a little distorted, not quite resembling a real ‘a’ but still, not too bad for your first attempt.

“Great, (Y/N), you’re doing great. Try to say it again.”

“You can do it,” James added gently.

And so this continued until you were familiar enough with all the vowels of the English language. Dr Kensington ended his session after one and a half hours, sending you back to your room with a small success and for the first time, even your mother was delighted, smiling contently when the linguist reported your progress.

This was how it could work out. If this was how you would get back into the world, adapting to human life again, you were going to be happy. Hopefully, James would stay as well. As soon as you could talk again, you would ask him to.

* * *

One and a half weeks later, your progress was already tangible. You had mastered the pronunciation of all letters of the alphabet by now and even if James hadn’t been able to join you for each session with Dr Kensington, it was still refreshing to be able to speak more and more with every day that passed.

“What about your name, (Y/N)? Can you tell me your name?”

You tried, forming the sounds slowly—only in your opinion, it didn’t sound like your name at all.

“That’s good, that’s good, (Y/N).” Dr Kensington exclaimed. “You will make it. What about James, the man who rescued you, can you say his name? James?”

This time, you put even more effort into your words. The result was acceptable—yet you still sounded like a baby speaking its first words.

“That’s very good. You have improved a lot. In a few more weeks, it will be like you will never have stopped speaking in the first place. Maybe we should call it a day now, it’s late, and you need your rest. Would you like me to walk you back to your room?”

You nodded. You preferred James over Dr Kensington of course but as long as you couldn’t phrase questions about his whereabouts, you would also accept the linguist. James had not disappointed you thus far. Every night, he joined you, seemingly knowing exactly you did not want to sleep alone.

Perhaps the doctors and Dr Drake would not approve on this new habit but you could tell he never wasted a word on it. He _did_ like you, maybe a lot more than he let on, you could sense it. The way his blue eyes sparkled when he was around you was all but thrilling and touching and you longed to tell him what he meant to you.

With your heart beating faster and your palms getting sweaty in his presence, you slowly began to realise what was happening to you. Something you had last experienced when you were fourteen years old, dating your former boyfriend. It was _falling in love._

Wolves did not fall in love, not romantically. They deeply cared for each other and protected their offspring with their lives but still, the main purpose of copulation was to produce descendants. With James, you wanted so much more than that.

You wanted to touch him, to feel him, to become one with him. You caught yourself dreaming of it when you fell asleep curled up next to his warm body every night, without being able to wrap your finger around what exactly it was you wanted from him.

You knew how sex worked—just because you and your former boyfriend had not taken this step yet, it did not mean you were entirely innocent, it was just… human affection was so _different_ from what wolves did to show each other their love.

You were insecure about your own body, the weapons of a woman and intimacy it scared you. It was a huge step for you already to sleep in the same bed with him, to be this close to another human—the one species you had lost all trust in when you realised there was no one coming to save you from the cave.

How would you even approach something this intimate? Besides, you didn’t even know if James liked you back the way you liked _him._ Jesus, it was already hard getting used to the feelings of proper clothes on your body, how would you work on these flustering feelings now?

It would take you weeks to speak again, what if he wouldn’t wait that long and leave you? Not because he grew tired, you trusted him to care about you enough to not do so lightly, but did he not have obligations too? A job or other duties he needed to attend to? Was he even expecting something from your mute relationship, friendship, whatever it was?

If only you could talk already.

Flinching, you tensed when you heard footsteps just outside your bedroom. They were calm and calculated as they approached the door, opening it so quietly you held your breath.

James thought you were asleep already, that he would only check whether you were safely tugged into bed and not slumbering curled up like an animal on the ground tonight. Maybe this was another reason for why he stayed with you every night. Did he really care this much? Would a man care for a woman this much if he wasn’t romantically interested in her?

The sparkling in his blue eyes… were you interpreting it correctly?

He smiled when he found you awake, sitting on your bed with the blanket barely covering your legs. He entered without hesitation, approaching your bed and taking off his shoes. It had become so _normal_ for him to join you—it was an act you appreciated so much it made your heart skip a beat.

“Did you wait for me?”

You nodded eagerly, reciprocating his cordial smile—it was infecting, after all. _I can’t fall sleep without you._

He had barely climbed into bed when you pounced on him shyly, placing your legs over his and snuggling up to his warm chest to listen to his heartbeat.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this story, would you care to support me a little by buying me a cuppa? I would appreciate it so much! ko-fi.com/sserpente ♥


	4. Part IV

It felt nice, being this close to him. In fact, it felt more than just nice. His presence both flustered and calmed you and suddenly, you were worried about whether you smelled good and whether your hair wasn’t too messy.

James had never exactly bothered about your appearance. When he first met you, you had practically been half a wolf and still, the way he had looked at you with his gorgeous blue eyes had melted your heart.

This was what had happened, why you trusted this wonderful man beside you so much. You only realised it now.

James sighed contently. You could tell he was comfortable with you, relaxed even. Outside of this room, he often seemed tense, always ready to draw a gun and defend his life but with you, he let all of his guards down.

He trusted you too—whether it was because as of yet, you were unable to speak, you did not know but it felt incredible to learn, that you appreciated his trust so much; and that you wanted to show him, let him know just like the wolves had let you know all these years ago.

Smiling, you snuggled up closer to him, burying your face in his neck and brushing your nose over his warm skin. He did not protest when you climbed on top of him like a cat trying to find a warm and cosy position to sleep in, this time brushing your nose against his.

James’ blue eyes flew open. With an amused smile, he stroked your hair lazily, looking at you in a way your former boyfriend never had. It was so full of love you felt tears worsening your sight—it would have bothered you but James had long switched out the lights in the room. You could barely see each other, yet his caring gaze was all but visible.

Resting your forehead against his, you brought up your hands to caress his chest, admiring every single muscle, your face only inches from his. You leaned forward again nuzzle up to him, only to accidentally brush your lips against his.

James held his breath. Had you done something wrong? No. Hang on… to show affection… people… _kissed._

Though you feared you had almost forgotten how, you brushed your mouth against his once more, trying desperately to simulate a seducing kiss. It’d been so long… you barely remembered how to do it properly, yet when James suddenly cupped your face with his warm hands, your body developed a momentum of its own.

He kissed you both fiercely and tenderly, thoroughly tasting your lips before pulling away to look you in the eye, concern prominent on his face.

“(Y/N)… are you sure you want to do this?”

Nodding, you blinked. _Do you?_

There was doubt sparkling in your eyes. Fear of rejection. James noticed immediately.

“I do. Of course I do. But I don’t want you to do anything you are not ready for.”

Smiling gently, you nodded again. _I am ready. This is what I want. What I am dreaming of. How else would I explain these feelings for you?_

Leaning forward slightly, you kissed him again, taking the initiative this time. James moaned when you pushed your tongue between his lips to taste him, your eyes falling shut when you did all the while your body rubbed against him like a playful kitten until you felt something hard against your inner thighs.

You had _aroused_ him. Proud of what you had done to him with your affection, you licked your lower lip, your hands sliding down his chest and coming to a rest where the buttons of his trousers denied you access to his most intimate parts.

“(Y/N)…” He whispered again, all but enchanted by your gentle treatment. Breathing heavily, he watched every single movement of yours as you undid the buttons and tore down the zipper rather clumsily, tearing both the fabric of his trousers and his boxer briefs down to his knees not only to reveal his muscly thighs but also his erect length, which sprang free in joyful anticipation.

You had spent seven years in nature, living in a cave—but you had never been this hungry.

Eagerly, you lifted your nightgown, grateful for refusing to wear proper pyjamas, for it was still unusual to be wrapped in intact clothes again, exposing yourself to his greedy gaze.

James’ blue eyes caught sight of your sex, your lips glistening with wetness only adding to his arousal. His member twitched, impatient to bury himself inside you, to feel your heat and juices coating him willingly.

You did not hesitate. With a shaky breath, you straddled him, getting rid of your nightgown completely to throw it behind you. You were naked. Utterly and entirely naked. Your walls clenched when his eyes roamed over your exposed skin and then lingered on your breasts as if he had never seen a female body before.

Quite frankly, _you_ had never seen a man’s penis before. His was impressive. Thick, long and erect, it was as hard as a rock when you inched forward, your petals barely grazing it.

James was hypnotised. Panting by now, he grabbed your hips and held them tightly, guiding you onto his length. You saw the conflict in his eyes, yet it vanished as quickly as you saw it flash, for when his tip pressed against your wet entrance, he lost control—and as did you.

Moaning, he bucked his hips, lowering you onto him. Inch by inch, he stretched you to the fullest, the foreign feeling raising both more arousal and a light breeze of fear, yet the pain was all but bearable when you sat down on him, his hard cock now fully sheathed inside you.

A burning sensation spread in your lower regions, almost as if someone had sliced through your skin with a sharp knife. It faded quickly though and all that was left was an incredible sensation that filled you from head to toe.

Your bodies united… this was more than just sex. Perhaps living with wolves had taught you what love really meant. Did you? Love James? It felt like it. It felt real and right.

“Are you alright?” His chest was heaving. He was holding back, you could tell. But when you nodded, licking your lips once more, finally, he moved you on top of him, bucking his hips to thrust. He hit just the right angle. There was a spot, hidden deep inside you he kept grazing, steering you right towards a peak of pure bliss.

James sat up, allowing you to wrap your arms around his neck as he once more captured your lips in a heated kiss. By now, you knew what to do. Riding him eagerly, you elicited countless moans from him, your bodies moving so precisely it seemed choreographed. It was like you were made for him.

Again and again, James hit your g-spot until you clenched around him, coming undone in his arms. You remembered masturbating in the river up in the mountains sometimes, noticing with delight how good it felt to massage yourself between your legs and stroking your breasts. Only you had never had an orgasm before.

Shaking and whimpering, you felt waves of pleasure roll over you, stealing your composure. The sensation was all but intense, almost scaring you as it took over your mind, clouding your senses.

James felt it too. He felt you tightening around his length, milking him frantically and tossing him right into his own climax. Moaning against your lips, his hot breath brushing against your mouth, he emptied himself inside you, thrusting a few more times to ride out his orgasm.

You collapsed against him tiredly, feeling a warm liquid deep inside your core. The intimacy between you was compelling, bewitching. And you never wanted this moment to end.

“J-James…” You murmured, proud of how you had managed to pronounce the letters neatly.

He froze. Leaning back just a little, his lips parted as he locked eyes with you in awe.

“Did you just…”

“James.” You said again, smiling as you did.

He was so amazed all he managed to do in response was to kiss you gently, fearing you might break in his passionate grip.

* * *

“Conrad! Haven’t seen you a lot around lately, come on, have a beer with us.” It was one of Slivko’s colleagues and closest friends waving at him when he passed the truck, a collapsible table and camp-chairs spread out next to it on the dusty ground.

He hated this place—it reminded him too much of the island, the guns, the weapons and the war. In fact, he couldn’t wait to get back to the hospital. James felt guilty already for leaving so early in the morning after you had slept with each other, especially since no matter what tasks he took care of, your sweet voice never abandoned him. _James_ , you had said, so happily.

“So? How’s it going with wolf girl? Is she still around?”

“If anything, he’s around her,” Slivko tossed in, chuckling into his beer bottle when James joined them. “You sleep in her room every day, right?”

“She seems to sleep better when I do, she trusts me. A lot more, apparently, than I thought. I…” Conrad hesitated. He needed to talk about this with someone, after all. Slivko and his colleague were soldiers—they were bound to keep silent and not blab and he trusted him not to. “…I slept with her last night.”

“Hang on a second. You had sex with her?!” He shouted, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. He nearly choked on his beer.

James lightly punched his upper arm. “Hey! Quiet.”

“Jesus, Conrad, this woman has got the educational level of a _fourteen year old._ ”

“She is a lot more intelligent than you concede to her.” He replied calmly—yet the threatening tone in his voice was clearly audible.

“I don’t believe it. Conrad banged the wolf girl. How does she even know how to have sex?”

The tracker rolled his eyes. “She was fourteen when the plane crashed, old enough to know. She was the one who took initiative, not me.”

“And you just let her? Fuck. I mean, are you sure she didn’t just… I mean, she’s lived with fucking wolves for seven years. Don’t you think she’s just _using_ you for sex?”

“She has adapted to them, Slivko. And animals don’t _use_ each other.” He spat.

“I don’t know about this, Conrad. I mean, she doesn’t even speak.”

James took a deep breath. “She did yesterday.”

“Wait, what? Didn’t the doctors say…?”

“She said my name. She is not just using me, Slivko. I think she might be in love with me.”

“Might?!” He shrieked.

“I am not sure if her feelings are real. I was the first person she met after seven years of being alone, after all. There _is_ a chance she is just… projecting her gratefulness onto feelings she misinterprets.”

“Right… and that you think about _after_ you sleep with her? You’ve become a real cavalier, man.”

“It just _happened._ ” Conrad snapped. He had been irresponsible too, of course. What if you ended up pregnant? They had not used a condom and James doubted you were on the pill. How would you? He needed to take care of that, somehow. Get you an emergency contraception.

“Besides, I…” He did not finish his sentence. Instead, he allowed Slivko to teasingly raise his eyebrows.

“Oh my God, you like her, don’t you? Conrad fell for the wolf girl.” The two men around him chuckled.

“Well, I think it’s real. Her feelings for you, I mean.” He then continued seriously. “I mean, that girl kind of lost all hope in humanity when no one came to save her, right? She doesn’t even trust her own mother, so sleeping with you is a huge act of faith, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, and she said your freaking name before anything else.” His colleague tossed in.

Conrad sighed, his thoughts wandering off. “I guess so…”

* * *

He decided to investigate before these unclear feelings of yours ate him all up. He _wanted_ them to be real, of course and the more he thought about how he had buried himself inside your warmth, the more he realised it would break his heart if they turned out to be tricks your tortured mind was playing on you.

James stayed behind after one of your sessions with Dr Drake the next day, waiting patiently until you had left the room with your mother and then turned around again to face the psychologist.

“Listen, could I talk to you for a second, Sir?”

Dr Drake lifted his head. “Of course. What is it?”

“It’s about (Y/N). You might have noticed that I spend a lot of time with her.”

The psychologist nodded. “I have. She likes you, Mr Conrad, doesn’t she?”

“I might believe one reason she does is because I saved her.”

“A reinforcing factor, yes.” He confirmed, nodding in the process.

Now, he couldn’t possibly tell him about the sex. God knew if it was even illegal to just let her slip her hands into his trousers in the first place and he certainly did not want any trouble. Besides, it was none of Drake’s business.

“It seems a lot like her… _feelings_ for me are… somewhat romantic. I was wondering if this might arise from this too… or if they could possibly be real.”

“Hm. That is a possibility of course,” Dr Drake said. “All we can do is wait. Her ‘romantic feelings’ for you might fade as soon as she regains her ability to speak. She will notice that with that, there will come a high level of freedom. If she still acts around you like this then, I would honestly consider that she fell for you. I would not worry, Mr Conrad, however, I would ask of you that if it turns out that she does love you, you break it to her gently you will not act on it. (Y/N) will not be able to deal lightly with another blow in her current mental condition.”

Little did Dr Drake know that he wouldn’t dream of it. _All we can do is wait._ And if he had to wait for years, he knew he would do it.

* * *

**8 months later**

“What if they don’t recognise me?” You chirped, biting your lips anxiously. It would break your heart. These wolves had become your family. They still were, even if now you had returned to your home and moved back into your old room until you found something else—or until James asked you to move in with him.

James had helped you choosing new furniture and paint for the walls and your mother had bought you a new set of bed sheets with a beautiful forest, dozens of shades of green, printed on them.

You were safe to say you had returned to the human world, successfully—something you would not have managed without this gorgeous man right beside you in the car. James had never left your side during your struggles and your exhausting efforts to learn how to speak again.

You had spent countless time, months, practising together until one day, you simply… started talking. For hours on end, you had chatted about all and sundry, every single word you exchanged making you fall in love with him even more.

It took you another two months to confess, your courage rewarded with a passionate kiss and sweet love making all through the night.

 _God, (Y/N), I love you too_ , he had whispered against your lips.

Taking a deep breath, you reached for James’ hand.

“(Y/N), wolves are incredibly intelligent animals. You spent years living with them. How could they forget you?”

From this day forth, you wanted to visit your fury friends at least once a month, bring them some treats and spend time with them cuddling in the cave which had posed your home for such a long time. James was all but compassionate about your decision.

He had fallen for the wolf girl himself, after all.

“Alright, we’re here.” Slivko said, grinning wildly behind the stirring wheel when he stopped the engine and pulled the handbrake. He had parked the car right where James had picked you up all those months ago.

It would take you approximately fifteen minutes to climb the mountain to reach the cave. James had agreed on not bringing a gun. Whether they recognised you or not, they were not hostile—only humans were.

“Let’s go.”

Your heart was pounding like a steam hammer, threatening to jump out of your chest the higher you crawled. James was right behind you. His presence was soothing, calming and reassuring and then, finally, you reached the dark entrance of the cave.

One step, two steps. James held your hand so tightly your fingers turned white. Three steps, four steps. You sensed a movement in the shadows, curious but also hazardous.

It was one of the wolf cubs approaching you first, attempting to climb on top of you to greet you. Only the fraction of a second later, they were joined by the alpha, its omega and the beta. They all mustered you briefly, next thing you knew, they were all over you, forcing you to your knees as they licked, snuggled and howled quietly.

Giggling you wrapped your arms around their strong bodies, enjoying how their fur felt against your skin.

“James… James, come join me.”

Hesitatingly, he kneeled down. Unlike last time, none of the wolves shot him threatening glares or growled. They accepted him, let him stroke them—just like they had accepted you. Did they sense it? That you were a couple?

There were tears swimming in your eyes when you looked at him, watching him struggle with a wolf pup trying desperately to lick his entire face and gently biting his neck. He chuckled, his smile causing planes in your stomach to take off and fly loops.

“Are you okay?” He asked when he noticed you staring, worry sparkling in his blue eyes upon seeing a single tear rolling down your cheek.

“Yes. Yes, more than okay. I’m just… so happy. I just wonder… what did think when you saw me the first time? I was cowering on the ground, dirty, messy… and still… I remember the way you looked at me. You seemed so… enamoured.”

James smiled.

“I saw what I see now, (Y/N). A beautiful, young, strong and intelligent woman—and I saw the strength of a wolf. You made me fall for you so fast…” Pausing, he looked up, mutely asking you for a kiss. “I was meant to find you.”

“I love you.”

Finally obliging, you leaned forward and gently pressed your lips against his.

“I love you too, (Y/N).”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoyed writing this so much. I hope you guys enjoyed reading too!
> 
> If you liked this story, would you care to support me a little by buying me a cuppa? I would appreciate it so much! http://www.ko-fi.com/sserpente ♥

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not a psychologist, of course. I don’t know what exactly happens to the human mind if one gets isolated from society and fellow humans for seven years and I don’t know if wolves would actually accept someone so easily in their pack. Ignore potential mistakes, I might shape facts the way I need them.
> 
> If you liked this story, would you care to support me a little by buying me a cuppa? I would appreciate it so much! ko-fi.com/sserpente ♥


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